On August 17, 2025, Madagascar will host the 45th Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in Antananarivo. On this occasion, President Andry Rajoelina will assume the rotating chair of SADC, succeeding his Zimbabwean counterpart, President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa.
This annual chairing mechanism, held in rotation by member states, aims to ensure inclusive and shared governance of the regional organization. As current Chair, the Malagasy Head of State will be responsible for steering SADC’s major policy directions for the coming year, in a regional context marked by shared challenges in security, economic integration, and sustainable development.
SADC, with its 16 members, operates through a structured system of several decision-making bodies. Its Summit of Heads of State or Government is its supreme body. It defines the Community’s political priorities and oversees the implementation of regional commitments.
The chairmanship of the Organ on Politics, Defense and Security Cooperation, another major pillar of SADC, will also change following the Summit. The current rotation is as follows:
▶️ SADC Chair
- H.E. Dr. Emmerson Mnangagwa (Zimbabwe) – Outgoing Chair
- H.E. Mr. Andry Rajoelina (Madagascar) – Incoming Chair
▶️ Politics, Defense, and Security
- H.E. Mr. Hakainde Hichilema (Zambia) – Outgoing Chair
- H.E. Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan (Tanzania) – Current Chair
- H.E. Dr. Lazarus Chakwera (Malawi) – Incoming Chair
A member of SADC since August 2005, Madagascar aims, through this chair, to strengthen its role in regional diplomacy, promote cohesion among member states, and actively contribute to building a common future for southern Africa.
